Some Greenville Drive catchers put up decent numbers in 2013, but not the one who was expected to.

Jayson Hernandez, a minor league journeyman, batted .333 during the first half of the season. Free agent Tim Roberson batted .289 for the year and was also a regular at first base and designated hitter after all-star David Chester was promoted to the Carolina League.

Jordan Weems

But the third-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in the 2011 draft, Jordan Weems, did not show improvement in his second season at Fluor Field. He appeared in 61 games for the Drive in 2013, batting .204 with 13 runs batted in before being shelved for the season in July with an injury.

Some of Weems’ numbers were eerily similar to 2012, when he batted .201 in 86 games. He struck out 1.01 times per game in 2012, 0.98 times in 2013. His OPS (combination of on-base and slugging percentages) was .546 in 2012, .545 in 2013. He has yet to homer in 161 professional games.

Weems and Blake Swihart, a first-round pick in 2011, arrived in Greenville last season and shared catching duties. Swihart has since moved up to advanced-A ball, where he hit .298 this season, and is destined for Class AA Portland in 2014.

Meanwhile, Weems may begin to feel pressure from Red Sox brass above and minor leaguers below. While Hernandez and Roberson are not considered prospects, the Bosox took catchers Jon Denney (third round) and Jake Romanski (14th round) in the 2013 draft.

Denney and Romanski may spend 2014 in rookie-level Lowell, Mass. However, one or both could be sent to Greenville to challenge Weems.

The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Weems won’t turn 21 until November. He may benefit from the friendly ghost of Michael Almanzar, who currently looms over the Red Sox organization, providing comfort and patience to young prospects who struggle in Greenville.

Almanzar played 261 games in Greenville over four seasons, never batting above .246, but he eventually got it together and hit 16 home runs for Portland in 2013. Is a similar future in store for Weems?

About This Blog

Richard Breen is a veteran journalist who has been involved in minor league baseball since 1987. His career has spanned radio, television, newspapers, magazines, advertising and public relations, with various other adventures in between. This blog will cover all things Greenville Drive and Fluor Field.